Evaluation of Patients with Inhalant Allergen Sensitivity Detected by Skin Prick Test

Objective: Atopy refers to an individual's predisposition to develop allergies.Allergens can cause asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), and atopic dermatitis (AD).The allergy skin prick test (SPT) is a safe, easy-to-apply, and cost-effective diagnostic tool for detecting sensitivity to allergens.This study aims to evaluate the relationships between identified allergen sensitivities, age groups, presenting complaints, and clinical diagnoses in patients who underwent SPT. Method:The results of 2413 patients who underwent SPT in University of Health Sciences Turkey, Bakrky Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital's Pediatric Allergy Unit between March 1, 2012, and February 28, 2014, were retrospectively evaluated. Results:The ages of the cases ranged from 1.7 to 17.5 months, with a mean age of 7.762.93years.Of the cases, 990 (41.03%) were female and 1423 (58.97%) were male.Asthma was diagnosed in 1064 patients, AR in 186 patients, and both asthma and AR in 1163 patients.Among the 2413 SPT results evaluated, 576 were negative, while at least one allergen sensitivity was detected in 1837 prick tests.The most common presenting complaint was cough in 2145 patients (88.93%), and the most frequent allergen sensitivity was against Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus at 57.4%.Thirty-nine patients had AD accompanying their existing diagnoses, with AD most commonly observed alongside AR at 6.5%. Conclusion:Our study found that the most common allergen sensitivity was against house dust mites.Identifying sensitivity to aeroallergens via SPT and protecting patients from these allergens forms the cornerstone of treatment in children diagnosed with allergic diseases such as asthma, AR, and AD.